Mugabe, 88, limited to 10 more years in power

President Mugabe of Zimbabwe will lose his rights to declare war, dissolve parliament or hold office for more than ten years under the terms of a new constitution completed this week.

Tendai Biti, the Finance Minister, said that it had taken three “tortuous” and “acrimonious” years to rewrite the document, which clears the way for elections. He told MPs: “History has been written in the last few weeks.” A cross-party committee on the constitution also confirmed that the process was over.

President Mugabe agreed to a constitutional review as part of a 2008 powersharing arrangement with his rival, Morgan Tsvangirai. Both men must review the document before it is put to a national referendum this year.